Coal drier



Aug. 9, 1949. R.IG.VBAUGHMAN 2,478,804

- COAL DRIER Fi'legi Aug. 6, 1946 s Shee'ts-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. BAY 6. BflUGHM/JN ATTORNEY A g- R. G. BAUGHMAN COAL DRIER Filed Aug. 6, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. EAYG. B/JUGHMHN A TTOE/VEY 9, 1949- Y R. e. BAUGHMAN 2,478,804

COAL DRIER Filed Aug. 6, 1946 3 Shegts-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 9, 1949 COAL DRIER Ray G. Baughman, Linton, Ind., assignor of onehalf to Robert Hartley Sherwood, Indianapolis,

Ind.

Application August 6, 1946, Serial No. 688,661

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a drier and is designed more particularly for drying coal.

One object of the invention is to provide a continuous drier of simple compact construction which will adequately and uniformly dry the coal which passes through the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drier which has a large capacity in proportion to its size and to the floor space occupied, thus not only reducing the cost of operation but permitting the drier to be of a relatively low height and enabling the coal to be delivered thereto by a relatively short conveyor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drier having a tortuous passage through which the coal moves slowly and uniformly without packing or wedging therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drier in which the coal has a large area of contact with the drying medium.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drier in which there is very little breakage or degradation of the coal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drier in which the weight of the coal is distributed throughout the length of the passage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drier which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost and in which the power requirement is low.

Other objects of the invention may appear as the drier is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig, 1 is a top plan view of a drier embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the drier, partly in elevation and partly in section; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section through an upper portion of the drier; Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line B6 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 7 is a detail view of a shelf mounting.

In these drawings I have illustrated one em-- of the other series. It is to be understood, how- 7 ever, that the drier may be used for drying materials other than coal and that the apparatus as a whole, as well as the several parts thereof, may

. 2 7 take various forms and may be assembled ious manners without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the particular embodiment here illustrated the drier is supported by an upright structure preferably comprising a series of standards l0 mounted on a suitable foundation and which constitute the support for the stationary parts of the drier, and are herein referred to as the outer standards. The standards may be of any suitable character, such as pipe sections having the necessary strength and rigidity. There may be any suitable number of standards, and in the present comprises an upright plate I2, the vertical outer edge of which is rigidly secured to the standard I, as by welding, and the inner edge of which is inclined downwardly and inwardly. Rigidly secured to the upright member I2 is a transverse member or plate l3, which is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the inclined edge of the member l2 and projects laterally on both sides of the latter. l3, by bolts or otherwise, and preferably the shelves are formed in arcuate sections to facilitate the production, assembly and removal thereof, I

and the ends of adjacent sections are secured to the same bracket with their ends substantially in abutting contact at the center of the plate l3.

Arranged within the outer series of shelves H is a second or inner series of annular shelves l4 arranged one above the other and inclined downwardly and outwardly toward the respective outer shelves, the lower edge of each inner shelf being preferably in a transverse plane extending through the next lower outer shelf approximately midway between the upper and lower edges of the latter. The inner shelves are preferably rotatable with relation to the outer shelves about the vertical axis of the latter. For this purpose in var- The shelves II are secured to the plate 3 herein called the inner standards, which may be formed of pipe sections or other suitable material. The inner standards K5 are rigidly mounted at their lower ends, as by welding, on an annular structure or plate [6 which is supported on a base 5 structure for rotation about a vertical axis common to the two series of annular shelves. 1 the present instance. thelplatealS is provided on its lower surface with a plurality of rollers H, which are supported by and are rotatable upon a track l0 l8 carried by a base structure l9 and here shown as substantially annular. The base structure may. be of any suitable character and is here shown as comprising a plurality of I-bars rigidlyzzsecuredwzp to the lower portions of the outer standardsdil. Supported on the rotatable plate It is a hopper which has a cylindrical loweriportionrzl. which e. extends through the central opening in the annular plate I6 and is supported in a bearing-'22 f on the base structure. The conical wall of the 20 hopper 2.6 is provicledtrwithropenings 23 through-3: which-.;the;inner-.-standards 15 extend; the hopper. being rigidly secured to the inner standardsas lby lwelding; The i rotatable-z plate; aid has: rigidly? secured-thereto-anannular geared which meshes 5 withiapiniondfi which may be drivenwin any. suit-,- ablermannerrf In thepresents-instance thepinionw; is carriedby an;uprigh1t shaftdfi and is connected, through .a flexible/coupling 0 -7,;- withreductionm. gearingzenclosedvin arcasingifi. e'Ihe shaft-29 of 30 the-.reductionunitis connected-with :a suitable, source: of DOWfil'gvSllCh as lain-electric motor:.-.3il,-= andzin the presentzinstancethis connection com- 2 prisesztheilshaitfli :of a; spiral conveyer 132, thexr casing-of which' is arrangedrto receive; coaldis-,;-35 charged-,i-from; the rotatable hopper 28.

Mounted-about and in laterally spacedsrelation-oz. to the-outer series .of shelves ii is a-shell or housing..-;3.,3 .having. a cylindrical. upper aportion .the: uppeniendzof whichextend-siabove. the upper ends 40 of theitwdseries'of shelves. The lower portion of the;.shell'is deflected inwardlysas showmat 34,11, andiextendszbelowrthe .lowermost-innerand outer l 1 shelves, andterminates aboveithe.notatablevhop crm 20. .The lowermostinner*sheliextends-belowthe lowermost. outer shelf and thus 1 deflectsethe. coal a, i s passingulletween the shelvesronto therinwardlyn, defiectedyportionlfl of theshell-irom which it is discharged; into-(the zrotatableohoppelfso. The :de- 2 fiected or IZOIIiCaIrPOIQtiOII 3.4.01": theshellis pros! vided'withopenings throughwhich -the standards l0 extendiand is. welded; or othemviseirigidlyesew. cured/to the standards.

Anirannularshopper is arranged'abovepthe :two or seriesuof :sheLves-to receive: the.-coal,--as ffroma. 5,5 conveyer '35,.- and=deliver the same to theupper endiof the :passage abetween-lthe .inner and; outer. ShEIYGSuxThE outer. wall.36 .of the hopper-sis in-se clined downwardlyiandr inwardly, is rigidltyl- 56- .1 curedwat :its .UPPQITwGdgGJ' tO theluppernprortion of 60 thershel-l 33 and is rigidly mounted-on -.the Supper. endsiof the'standards L0, and-theiloweredgeiof thisl.outerowall-1terminatestabove the uppermost, outeri shelf ii and; above *the, lower/ledge of the upperimmit;inner.-shelf; l4..---The:inner..-wall.-3l .of .6 the-hopperds rigidly secured .to the vertical por-- tiorr'nf azconduit-fiB which-is mounted in a=t1 ans-..- verseslframeaw rigidly secured rto andiarranged withinzt-he shell 13-3. 3 .Rigidly secured to the iupper: surfaceuof eaclnoi theinner shelves-rare as plug-J0 ralitymf finsior agitators 4!! which extend through thezpassagembetween adjacent lIlIlEIcand Ollt1'.-- shelves to 'stir .the coal.;-and causehthe :same. .to moveh uniformly and continuously: through all i partaitoi thetortuous passage. 75

The upper ends of the inner standards I5 are connected one with the other by an annular member or ring 4| having a substantially vertical surface with which a, series of rollers 42 contact to prevent lateral displacement of the upper ends of the standards. In the present arrangement these rollers are carried by bolts 43 mounted in a bracket=414 rigidly 'c'onnected'wlth'thainner Wall 3'! or the hopperand with'the conduit 38.-

The shell 33 is provided at one side thereof with an opening extending circinnferentially thereof. and of substantial length. Connected with this opening is the flared end 45 of a conduit throughrwhichzia drying medium, such as hot gasespis delivered to the shell and caused to circulate therein about-the outer series of shelves. The.co11duit,.3ll reonnects the space within the inner series of shelves with a suction creating device,= such= as an exhaust fan 51. Thus the shelves IQ of the inner series of shelves are subjected-to suction andthachyinemediuhrds drawn through the coal whiclris movingrbetween'the;;

inneri-andiouter: series of shelves and removes the free. moisture therefrom:

In operation thecoalis deliveredlto the upper,

hopper by the conveyer. 3.5,iisdistributed throughoututhe hopper :to lcause the 521111135550 move-by.

gravityncontinuously .andnuniformlyninto: and: thiiouglrthe,tortuous passage formed betweenthe irustoeconicalrshelves iof :.the..inner and outer. series. Dueto the. arrangement. of the shelves large: areas-pf ,the,.coal..within,ithempassagevare;

exposed to the action of therdryinasmediumin the-shell; and rt-hesuction within the inner. .series of shelvesidraws' this-drying niedimmthrough the:

coal; andnremoves zall free moisture .thereirom. The dried coal is discharged from thedowermost inneiireshelfisonto the conical lower; end :..0f the.

shell-513 lfI'OlIlrWhlChi it passesyinto: the. rotatable: hopper 20 and is discharged.-.from .thatzhopper.

intonthe spiral: (tOl'lVGYi-li) which deliversit to a beltvconveyeiy-zfiii iWhlCh carries .thewcoal .to they.

low height iusually about. 18 feetas compared with. .1 The rotation,

35 feet in other types of driers. of the-inner seriesbi shelvesagitatesnthe-coal" sufliciently to prevent the :same. from-packing .or wedg-ina n the converging spacesbetween-the:

innerlandloutenshelves;.thus.causing the coal. to

move .uniformly. and... continuously through all parts of the l tortuous. :passage. .This,;movement..

of the coal combined;-.with. ,the. highly. efficient.

actionwoi the dryin medium .thereonimparts to the.drier -.a capacity; which is quitezlargein pro-.

portion-to its1size.-.-.;Due to the factthatthe coal moves througmthatortuouspassage in a continu-r ous stream there is no dropping of thecoal-from onesheltto another,.or other actionwhichwould cause/breakage. .or degradation .of the coal.

While.I:have,shownanddescribed one embodin ment of my. inventionl wish it to be understood thatJdo notndesirento be limited to thedetails... thereof,- as .various modificationssmay.occur.to a.

personiskilled in the .art;

Having. nowiully described; my invention, :what.

I claimeas .fnewl. and .desire-to secureebyLetters; Patent, is:

1. A driertcomprisinga Supporting structure, an element. rotatably supported onsaidstructure, standardssrigidly -;secured..to and extending .up: u

of vertically spaced annular inner members extending about and supported by said standards V for rotation therewith and each having a downwardly and outwardly inclined uppersurface, a plurality of stationary, annular, outer members supported about and spaced outwardly from said inner members, each outer member having a downwardly and inwardly inclined upper surface extending across and spaced from lower edgeof the next higher inner member, and the lower edge portion of each outer member being of a diameter not greater than the diameter of the lower edge portion of the next higher inner member, said inner and outer members thereby forming between them a tortuous passage, means for delivering material to be dried to the upper end of said passage and for discharging dried material from the lower end thereof, and means for rotating said rotatable element.

2. A drier comprising a supporting structure, an element rotatably supported on said structure, standards rigidly secured to and extending upwardly from said rotatable element, a plurality of vertically spaced annular inner members extending about and supported by said standards for rotation therewith and each having a downwardly and outwardly inclined upper surface, a plurality of stationary, annular, outer members supported about and spaced outwardly from said inner members, each outer member having a downwardly and inwardly inclined upper surface extending across and spaced from lower edge of the next higher inner member, and the lower edge portion of each outer member being of a diameter not greater than the diameter of the lower edge portion of the next higher inner member, said inner and outer members forming between them a tortuous passage, agitating devices carried by a plurality of said inner members and movable thereby through the spaces between the respective inner members and the next lower outer members, means for delivering material to be dried to the upper portion of said passage and for discharging dried material from the lower end of said passage, and means for rotating said rotatable element.

3. A coal drier comprisingan annular series of stationary upright outer standards mounted at their lower ends on a fixed support, series of annular outer shelves rigidly secured to said standards, spaced vertically one from the other and inclined downwardly and inwardly from said standards with their upper and lower edges in substantially horizontal planes, an element supported adjacent the lower ends of said standards for rotation about a vertical axis, an annular series of upright inner standards connected with said rotatable element for rotation therewith, a series of annular inner shelves extending about and rigidly secured to said inner standards and spaced vertically one from the other, said inner shelves being inclined downwardly and outwardly from said standards with their upper and lower edges in substantially horizontal planes intersecting respectively the two adjacent outer shelves, the lower edge portion of each inner shelf being of a diameter not less than the diameter of the lower edge portions of said outer shelves, said shelves forming a tortuous passage no part of which is in a continuous straight line, means for rotating said rotatable element, and means for delivering coal to the upper end of said passage.

4. A coal drier comprising an annular series I of stationary upright outer standards mounted at their lower ends on a fixed support, a series of annular outer shelves rigidly secured to said standards, spaced vertically one from the other andinclined downwardly and inwardly from said standards with their upper and lower edges in substantially horizontal planes, an element-supported adjacent the lower ends of said standards for rotation about a vertical axis, an annular series of upright inner standards connected with said rotatable element for rotation therewith, a

series of annular inner shelves extending about and rigidly secured to said inner standards and spaced vertically one from the other, said inner shelves being inclined downwardly and outwardly from said standards with their upper and lower edges ,in substantially horizontal planes intersecting respectively the two adjacent louter for rotating said element, and means for delivering coal to the upper end of said passage.

5. A coal drier comprising an annular series of stationary upright outer standard-s mounted at their lower ends on a fixed support, a series of annular outer shelves rigidly secured to said standards, spaced vertically one from the other and inclined downwardly and inwardly from said standards with their upper and lower edges subnected with said rotatable element for rotation therewith, a series of annular inner shelves ex tending about and rigidly secured to said inner standards and spaced vertically one from the other, said inner shelves being inclined downwardly and outwardly from said standards with their upper and lower edges in substantially horizontal planes intersecting respectively the two adjacent outer shelves, the lower edge portion' of each inner shelf being of a diameter not less'than the diameter of the lower edge portions of said outer shelves, said shelves forming a tortuous passage for coal no part of which is in a continuous straight line, a hopper connected with said rotatable element for rotation therewith, means below said passage for directing coal from said passage to said hopper, means for rotating said rotatable element, and means for delivering coal to the upper end of said passage.

6. A drier comprising a, base, an element rotatably supported on said base, standards rigidly secured to and extending upwardly from said rotatable element, a plurality of vertically spaced inner members extending about and supported by said standards for rotation therewith, a plurality of stationary outer members extending about and supported in spaced relation to said inner members, said inner and outer members being arranged to form a tortuous passage between them, means for delivering material to be dried to the upper portion of said passage and for discharging dried material from the lower end thereof, means for rotating said rotatable element, an annular track secured to the upper portions of said inner standards, and a anagram r 7 f. 8 rollerzrmonntedwon i-a fiXBd'iiaXiSEZ'End supported: memetdonrntatiomizhenewithi. extendingithroughx: withiiiiand in 'contactswithasaiditraclcst: thecopeningsein said! hoppemandt havingnsupe '7. A driermomprisingxa base,-.iantielementiroa portingleonneetion withethe iatter'y an outerzseries' -z:

tatablytsuppontedlonasaid base; standards rigidly; of standards mountedaon tsaidzbaseand spaced secured zto Iandt'extending rupwardlmlfromn-said; from the standamds' of said-inner: series, Ja,verti rotatableelenrent;apluralitycof vertically spaced cal 'zsenies-rof tannulan'tshelves tarranged :withinua:

inner"members zextendingiiabouts and;supported andnrigidlyfsecuredito saidnouter; standardsna by saida'sta'ndards forsrotatibmtherewithg aplu-msecond:verticalzseriesiof annularshelves extend ralityhlof stationary outer members extending 1L1 ingrabout andcsrigidlyiesecuredwto the standardsr."

about andisupportedin spaced relatio'n fto isaidalfl 0f saideinner: seriesy-eachshelf:of said; seconds-:1 inner members, said inner and outer-"members' series;beingzinclined downwardlyliandsoutwardlyan beingaarrangedrto form ai tortuouspaswge-tbe with its l'owen'edgewin a transverse plane extender? tweenthem'; means ifori delivering material to be m lngathroughothesinexta flower outer shelfc'at 243-. :-rdriedicto the-2 upper: portion :of 'said passage a proximatelyethewcentenof the..latter;ithe shelves hopper: supported by said rotatablefielernent for m of saida'outervseriesidaeing inclined-ldownwardly.:. rotation atherewiths to receive dried" niaterial from" and inwardiy andz-being spacedr:from the :adjan said pass'age and having openingsthrough whic centrshelves of said inner -series;-:and the lower-17' saidiinner standards 'extendnand-"means for edges of the shelves of both'series being substana: tating saidi rotatable elementl i tially. in 1 a verticalr'linerimidway :between i'said- 8. A drier 'compri-sing ra base} an element rog inner and outer seriesbf standards, and ashell :1; tatabiy' supported 'onsaid base; standards rigidly enclosingvsaidishelvemands having-its :lower porsecured wto and:"extending upwardly from s'aid tionndeflectediinwardlyiandzextendingwinto the :7: rotatable .elementJa plurality bf vertically spaced uppers porti on of saidshoppen; said inwardly de-t inner: membersextending about and supportedfleeting portion rhavinig openings? throughwhich. by said=standardsfor rotation the'rewith,"a plu= 5 the respectivezonter'standards extend; saidtouter' ralityltof stationary standards' arranged about standards shaving supportingnconnectiori with 1-: and-spaced outwardlyifrom thefirshmentioned said shell.

standardsa. plurality of outer members carried RAYr G. BAUGHlVLAN'L? by said stationary standards and extending about said inner members, said inner and outer mem- REFERENCESEGITED bers' being arranged to "form'a tortuous passage The followingreferences are of record-in the between them, means for delivering material to filewof this:L wt be driedto the upper-portion of said pa-ssage'a p shell-extending aboutsaid outer members' in UNITEDBTATESIPATENTSJ spaced relation thereto and having alower por-' m er :5 m Date n tion defiected inwardly below the lower end of 27 55 :1 M53151); May 28 1372 said'passage,rsaididefiected portion having open- 2 0' 525'am mm v l July 1880 ings-throughwhich said outer'standardsextend' 5; mi ign wov; 11 1924 and beingrigidly secured to said standards, a 55 1-119 Shfeba 261925 hopper supported on said rotatable element f0r"40 3 4 Lindhafd June 2551929 rotation therewith below and in communication J 2 049Z0q r- 1 g 'm u July 1936 with said shell and'havin'g openings through 23493199 :2, Boil-field; July which-said inner standards extend, and means 233L151 a: g- Oct 1944 for rotating'said rotatable elements;

9. In an apparatus for drying coal, a base, an'45 FOREIGNNPATENTS annular element rotatably mounted on saidbase; m e s. country: I Date a hopper having a partextendingthrough saidi 193 5 France Sept, '2 1914" annular element and having'an upwardly flared" (lstsadditio-nslto 14 portion-provided with"openings,-andnnerseries-f 723222715? anc 11,1932

of standards rigidly secured to saidannularele 

